2020 Olympics Odds Likely To Shift With Canada Dropping Out

• Canada has announced that they will not be participating in the 2020 Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo due to the Coronavirus pandemic.
• Other countries have expressed their concerns about the Games but Canada is the first one to bow out of the competition unless it is postponed by a year.

NEW YORK – COVID-19 also known as the Coronavirus has led Canada to opt-out of the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo as a safety precaution. After much consideration, the country’s Olympic Committee decided to withhold its athletes from participating in the Games.

Should the Olympics decide to postpone the entire event for a year, Canada would feel more comfortable being a part of the competition.

The COVID-19 Canada Cancellation And Other Concerns

Canada is the first country to announce that they will not be going to Tokyo in 2020. However, other countries such as Brazil, Australia, and Norway have pressed for a one-year postponement of the Games.

Due to the urging of these countries and the pandemic that the Coronavirus has turned into, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has spoken out on their plans for the 2020 Summer Olympic Games.

“The IOC will, in full coordination and partnership with the Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee, the Japanese authorities and the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, start detailed discussions to complete its assessment of the rapid development of the worldwide health situation and its impact on the Olympic Games, including the scenario of postponement. The IOC is confident that it will have finalised these discussions within the next four weeks, and greatly appreciates the solidarity and partnership of the NOCs and IFs in supporting the athletes and adapting Games planning,” read a statement released by the IOC on Sunday.

Olympic Committees from various countries have said that they would help the IOC in the rescheduling of the Games as it would take a great deal of work to move around an event as big as the Olympics.

With Canada already out of the running and other competing countries in talks to do the same, if the IOC does not postpone the event, the odds for betting on Tokyo 2020 will be affected tremendously.

Olympic odds for team USA have seen to be the shortest for the competition. They’re at the top of the leader board to bring home the most gold medals with odds of (-3000).

Their greatest competition, which lies in second place for the most gold medals, is China with odds of (+1100) which isn’t even a close comparison. Those numbers could rise even further in favor of the US should more countries decide not to compete.

Canada brought home a total of 22 medals for their country in the 2016 Summer Olympics held in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil. Their decision not to compete in 2020 would be a big loss for the country but a huge gain to others should the IOC decide to go ahead with the competition.

For their part, Canada stands by their decision in order to keep their athletes healthy and prevent the spread of the Coronavirus during this time.

“While we recognize the inherent complexities around a postponement, nothing is more important than the health and safety of our athletes and the world community, “ read a statement by the Canadian Olympic Committee.

“This is not solely about athlete health – it is about public health. With COVID-19 and the associated risks, it is not safe for our athletes, and the health and safety of their families and the broader Canadian community for athletes to continue training towards these Games. In fact, it runs counter to the public health advice which we urge all Canadians to follow.”

The IOC will have an answer for the public within the next four weeks on a decision of whether or not they will cancel Tokyo 2020. No matter what they decide, the legal sports betting sites around the world will have to adjust.

Should they postpone, that gives competitors another year to practice or fall to injury in the process. If they proceed, countries that would not have been in the running to place with gold medals will have better odds in doing so with the lack of big competitors standing in their way.

COVID-19 continues to affect everything in its path and the 2020 Summer Olympics just happens to be its latest victim.

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